National Award-winning filmmaker Rima Das took home the Golden Gateway award in the India Gold category for Bulbul Can Sing at the 20th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star. She clinched the top award at the fest for the second year in a row. Last year, Das’ Village Rockstars won three awards at the Mumbai Film Festival.
A report published in the The Indian Express stated that Bulbul Can Sing is a coming-of-age story about a teenager, Bulbul, living in a village in Assam, fighting her way through love and loss as she figures out who she really is.
The report further stated that Rima Das dedicated the award to her mother. “I am giving this award to my mom. Last time Village Rockstars received three awards at MAMI and this is our first win for this film. I’d like to thank the universe and God for giving me so much strength,” a visibly emotional Das told the audience.
Recalling an incident from her teenage years to assert how her mother has been an empowering figure in her life, Das said after her brother refused to accompany her to a shoot of an Assamese TV show, her mother asked her why she couldn’t go alone to the set. “So, thank you Mom for pushing me in the real world. I’m so blessed that I’m doing what I love to do. I am so happy that cinema is giving me so much freedom to create my world and characters,” the director said.
She also sought from the audience blessings and love for the Oscar journey of Village Rockstars. The film, which won two National Awards this year, has been selected as India’s entry in the best foreign language film category at the 2019 Academy Awards.